Israelis said surprised at Bildt's absence

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- Israeli diplomats are surprised that Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt has yet to reschedule a canceled visit to Jerusalem, a source says.

An unnamed Israeli foreign ministry source told Sweden's Dagens Nyheter newspaper that Jerusalem was expecting Bildt to quickly reschedule a September trip that was canceled before it was set to begin, but that he hasn't done so, the Swedish news agency Tidningarnas Telegrambyra reported Monday.

The situation has become more acute because it is customary for the foreign minister of the country currently holding the rotating presidency of the European Union -- which Sweden now does -- to pay an official visit to Jerusalem.

"If he were a newcomer to diplomacy, it could be somewhat defensible," the source said. "But Carl Bildt is a very intelligent and experienced man. That makes us think it's more likely some sort of signal."

TT said there has been speculation in the Israeli press that Bildt's absence is due to continuing fallout over an article published by the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet alleging that the Israeli army had harvested organs from dead Palestinians.